2014 kalleske buckboard durif

2014 KALLESKE BUCKBOARD DURIF
The Kalleske vineyard and farm was established at Greenock in the Barossa’s
North-West in 1853. For more than a century, the horse drawn ‘buckboard’ was
indispensible on the farm. The buckboard buggy transported not only people but
hauled produce and supplies to and from the farm, including countless loads of
grapes. In the mid 1900s the horse was replaced with a motor and then the
buckboard further evolved into a flat bed truck and eventually to the modern ute.
Buckboard Durif is a single vineyard wine that’s been grown, vintaged and
matured on the Kalleske property. Vigilant grape growing, traditional
winemaking and fourteen months barrel maturation has resulted in a powerful,
full-bodied wine of great flavour and intensity.
GROWING SEASON
Vintage 2014 was an excellent year. The wines from 2014 are strong with deep
and vibrant colour, excellent fruit definition and solid but integrated tannin
structure ensuring longevity for the wines. The 2014 growing season began with
slightly above average Winter rainfall however Spring and early Summer were very
dry with 40% less rain than normal. Temperatures were also up with the Spring/
Summer growing season being an average of 2 degrees C warmer. However, this
dry and warm season changed dramatically in mid February with 100mm of rain
falling, the wettest February day in 45 years. This slowed the ripening of the
grapes considerably and combined with average mild temperatures in March
(25.7 degrees C) a steady ripening of the grapes ensued. This ensured good
flavour and moderate sugar development producing outstanding quality.
VINEYARD
Buckboard Durif is sourced from a single vineyard on the Kalleske property. The
hand-pruned vines are low-yielding and are grown in shallow, sandy loam soil
over superb deep red clay, providing ideal conditions for Durif.
WINEMAKING
The grapes were picked on 17th April and then destemmed into an open top
fermenter. The must was fermented for 12 days on skins with hand pump-overs
twice a day. After pressing off skins the Durif was filled to a mix of 25% new and
the balance used American oak hogsheads. The wine completed primary
fermentation and underwent natural malolactic fermentation in barrel. The Durif
was matured in barrel for fourteen months prior to bottling.
This wine is 100% Organic /
Biodynamic as certified by
Australian Certified Organic.
TASTING NOTES
Buckboard Durif 2014 is rich red-black in colour. Emanating from the glass are
bright and alluring aromas of fruit cake, ripe berries, rosewater, chocolate, oak,
tar and chicory. The palate is rich and full-bodied. Black fruits dominate. Toasty
oak is evident adding complexity. Tannins are solid adding a muscular backbone
and dry finish to this generous wine. Buckboard Durif can be enjoyed now, but
best over the next decade.